Typewriting machine



Feb. 8, 1938.

W. A. D OBSON TYPEWRITING MACHINE Filed April 24, 1935 Patented Feb. 8, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE It to Underwood Elliott Fisher Company, New

York, N. Y., a corporation of Delaware Application April 24, 1935, Serial No. 17,979

5 Claims. (Q1. 197-114) This invention relates to improvements in portable typewriting machines, particularly to a line-spacing lever and a platen-releasing knob, and it is aimed to secure the compactness, sim- 5 plicity and low cost which are essential in this class of machines.

One of the features is to provide ample finger clearance between platen-knob and line-spacing lever when releasing the platen; and further to improve the form and position of the line-space lever in relation to the platen-frame, to the ribbon-spool covers and to the body of the machine, to provide ample clearance of the linespace lever in operation.

15 The line-space lever is carried upon a simple socket-arm by means of flanges, and a pivot and coiled spring allow the finger-lever to be depressed by the cover of the machine below a transverse plane through the uppermost part of 20 the superstructure of the typewriter. A linespace pawl is pivoted on the extreme right-hand end of the socket-arm, while the left-hand end is fastened on a horizontal extension of the carriage by means of a set-screw, which serves as a 25 pivot for the swing of the line-space pawl-slide.

The construction and installation of the socketarm and the one-piece finger-lever are accomplished by the least possible number of screws and springs; and the line-spacing mechanism has 3 a smooth and attractive appearance, especially suitable for portable machines.

Other features and advantages will hereinafter appear.

In the accompanying drawing,

35 Figure l is a fragmentary plan of a typewriting machine embodying the invention.

Figure 2 is a side elevation showing line-space lever, socket-arm and platen-knob.

Figure 3 is a side elevation showing the cover closed down and depressing the finger-lever.

Figure 4 is a rear elevation of socket-arm and lever with finger-piece; also showing connection to paper-carriage.

45 A platen l0, journaled upon frame I I, has a knob i2 fastened upon its extreme end of the axle. The knob may be pulled out towards the left (I 2 in order to disengage the platen from a line-space ratchet-wheel I3. This opera- 50 -tion can be performed very easily, as sufiicient clearance or finger room is provided between outer edge of the platen-knob and lower edge of finger-lever 14. This clearance is one of the advantages of the invention.

55 M indicates the finger-piece, and a small leather pad M prevents marring a 1ibbonhousing 26.

i5 shows the socket-arm, with its two flanges 5 The flanges, together with the lever, form a simple pattern and may be cast in one piece. 5 Figure 4 shows a rear elevation of the socket-arm casting. It has two flanges M on finger-lever i4, being neatly fitted between the flanges 15 of the socket-arm. These flanges are mounted outside the end wall of the frame H, so that 10 the lever H3 in a downward movement entirely clears the frame.

A pivot-screw I6, through the flanges of fingerlever and socket-arm, permits the up-and-down swiveling of the finger-lever, when the cover is 15.

being lowered or raised. A strong spring [1 coiled around pivot l6 between flanges of fingerlever l4 holds the finger-lever up in horizontal position. Flanges I5 are shouldered at point l5 to prevent the lever from being caused by the spring coil to go beyond the horizontal position. The platen-frame H has a flange H bent over to a horizontal position, to form a seat for the socket-arm l5. A screw l8, serving also as a pivot-bolt for socket-arm l5, holds the latter in place, and is locked by a nut l8 at the under side of the flange H The platen is rotated by pushing the fingerlever M from left to right. This swings the socket-arm iii in such a manner that, while turning on its pivot l8, the arm will pull on pawlslide 22, with its arm-connecting pivot 23. The line-space pawl 24 transmits said pull to ratchetwheel l3, to rotate the platen.

l 9 indicates the relation. of the side of the casecover 20 to the sliding platen-frame, when the latter is in the proper position, at that moment allowing the lid to be closed.

When the lid 28 is lowered, a metal bumperplate 2], screwed to the lid, presses the flngerlever down, and it is noted that nothing projects beyond the contour of the body of the machine.

The positions of the usual auxiliary feed-rolls are indicated in Figure 3 by the numeral 25.

Variations may be resorted to within the scope of the invention, and portions of the improvements may be used without others.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In a portable typewriter having a traveling case, the combination with a revoluble platen, a platen-frame, and a line-space wheel within the platen-frame, of a knob outside of the platenframe and movable axially to release the platen,

a line-space pawl for said wheel, a support projecting outwardly from the platen-frame, a short socket-arm mounted on the platen-frame and extending lengthwise of the platen and pivoted at its outer end to said support, said pawl being pivoted to the inner end of said socket-arm, a o e-piece line-space lever swiveled upon said s cket-arm between the ends thereof and ex tending forwardly over said knob and terminating at a point well in front of the platen and depressible by the cover of the machine-casing, and a returning spring for lifting said lever and maintaining it in normal position, said lever extending forwardly from its pivot in a sufficiently elevated position to afford clearance for the fingers of the operator in grasping said knob to move it into and out of the platen-frame.

2. In a portable typewriter having a traveling case, the combination of a platen-frame, a revoluble platen in the platen-frame, a platen-knob outside of the platen-frame and movable axially of the platen, a ratchet-wheel on the platen, a rotatably mounted socket-arm, a line-space pawl connected therewith, a bracket-support .on the platen-frame, said socket-arm pivotally mounted thereon, said socket-arm having a double flange bearing at its center, a pivot mounted in said bearing, a single-piece finger-lever with a fingerpiece on its forward end mounted on said pivot, said finger-lever performing by its lateral motion the operation of lineespacing, and a coil spring mounted on said pivot to permit the finger-lever to follow a vertical movement by the cover of the machine-casing when it is being placed in position over the machine against the tension of said spring, said finger-lever being sufficiently above the platen-knob for finger clearance of the operator, and sufficiently back of and above the platen for clearance of all parts of the typewriter, and said finger-lever being easily accessibleby the operator on account of its prominent position.

3. In a typewriter, the combination with a rotatable platen, a platen-frame, and a line-space wheel within the plate-frame, of a knob outside of the platen-frame and rotatably connected with the platen, a line-spaced pawl for said wheel, a bracket-support mounted on and extending outside the frame, an arm pivotally mounted on said support, means driven by said arm to actuate said pawl, and an integral one-piece line-space lever and hinged on the upper face of said arm between its ends and outside the end wall of said frame, whereby said arm may be turned in a plane to actuate said pawl, and whereby said finger-piece may be collapsed.

4. In a typewriter having ribbon-spools, the combination with a rotatable platen, a platenframe, and a line-space wheel within the platenframe, of a knob outside of the platen-frame and rotatably connected with the platen, a linespace pawl for said wheel, an arm pivotally mounted on said frame for movement, a slide pivotally mounted on said arm and actuating said pawl, and a line-space lever comprising a substantially horizontally straight bar normally lying in a plane that provides ample clearance between it and said knob and said ribbon-spools and having a rigid, integral and upright fingerpiece and effective to turn said arm in a plane to actuate said pawl, said lever being hinged to the upper face of said arm between its ends, whereby said finger-piece may be folded down to a point below a plane through the uppermost part of the superstructure of the typewriter.

5. In a typewriter having ribbon-spools, a rotatable platen, a platen-frame, a line-space wheel within the platen-frame, a hand-knob outside of l the platen-frame and rotatably connected with the platen, and a line-space pawl for said wheel, the combination of a line-spacing arm fulcrumed at one end on said frame for forward and rearward movement, said pawl being connected to the other end of said arm to be driven thereby, and a line-space lever connected by a hinge to the upper face of said arm in rear of said knob and. between the fulcrum and pawl-driving ends of said arm, to turn said arm in a horizontal planeand rotate the platen, said lever having a rigid, in,-. tegral, upright finger-piece, and said hinge enabling said finger-piece to be folded down, said lever normally extending in a horizontal plane that is sufficiently above the platen-frame to afford finger-clearance between said knob and said lever.

WILLIAM A. DOBSON. 

